Rural Fair Funding

Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural locales is costlier.

Hot Topics

21 Nov 2022

RSN Autumn Statement Response – Reliance on Council Tax

The Rural Services Network is dismayed with the Autumn Statement released on the 17th November where the Chancellor set out plans to allow Councils to increase Council Tax by 5%...

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21 Nov 2022

Rural services ‘may be lost’ without funding formula

Speaking to The MJ, Graham Biggs, chief executive of the Rural Services Network, said he feared many discretionary services in rural areas could be lost if the Treasury announces fresh austerity...

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14 Nov 2022

Levelling Up Rural Britain Debate

Wednesday 9th November saw a Backbench debate in the House of Commons on Levelling Up Rural Britain, introduced by Selaine Saxby MP from North Devon who opened the session by...

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07 Nov 2022

Cost-of-living crisis in the countryside

The below article written by RSN Chair Cecilia Motley is featured in this months Local Government First (click here to view this article). (NB it was written for publication before Liz Truss...

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31 Oct 2022

A new leadership for rural?

Blog Post by Kerry Booth, Chief Executive Designate of RSN As we prepare again at the RSN to write to the new group of Ministers, setting out the case for...

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20 Sep 2022

Rural Services Network responds to consultation on Adult Social Care Charging Reform

The Rural Services Network is the national champion for rural services and aims to give rural a strong voice. The RSN often responds to Government Consultation with a rural response. ...

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04 Jul 2022

Gove announces multi-year funding and new Office for Local Government

As detailed in the Local Government Chronicle – Councils can expect a funding settlement covering the next two financial years and are to face greater scrutiny from a new Office...

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30 May 2022

New analysis reveals the regional impact on local councils of the government’s flagship adult care reforms

A new report, launched on the 25th May, reveals the regional impact on local authorities as a result of the government’s flagship adult social care reforms, concluding that the costs...

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03 May 2022

Will ‘levelling up’ deliver for rural areas?

The below article written by RSN Chair Cecilia Motley is featured in this months Local Government First (click here to view this article). Launched with a flurry of grand statements, the...

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11 Apr 2022

Rural anger on bus funding

On the 5th April the Government announced its long-awaited funding allocations for Bus Service Improvement Plans. The RSN’s Chief Executive, Graham Biggs, comments here: “Well now we have it –...

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